Bucket chain for ditching machines and the like



May 27, 1930. c. L. GEORGE ;1 -01 BUCKET CHAIN FOR DITCHING MACHINES AND THE LIKE Filed Aug. 20, 1928 Patented May 27 1930 emer es L. 'enonenfor Tfimnnaxz, 01-210, gamma T mnn nucxnrn "Tn-Adrien nrronnn COMPANY, QF'FILTDLAY, onto, acoaronarron or onro Thisr invention relates to a bucket, cleaner adaptedto be usedin connection with-ditch ing machines and, the like, wherein the buckets and the parts associated therewith i are arranged in an endless travelling chain y thesueceeding bucket asitpasses throughthe upper ipartof its orbit. {Such a construction brings the buckets; so close together that the anglebetween two consecutive buckets does not allow a sufficient sweepfor thev cleaning element toeifect a complete discharge of the bucket. 1 It has also been proposed to use only half asglnany buckets and to arrange thein alter atelywith links of the samelength, providingeach of these linkswith blade or; clean 2 ing 6lQ111611l3--W l1lChj projects into thev next I bucket behind it. Such an arrangement also fails to allow the cleaning element to sweep through a sufficient distance to effect a satisfactory discharge of the bucket, i It is with the object of overcoming the I above mentioned, difiiculties, that the present invention has been perfected, According to theji nvention, the buckets are connected to each other by intermediate links, but the links 5 l are considerably, shorter than the buckets,

preferably half as long, and each bl-ade proects rearwardly from the preceding bucket, extending longitudinally across the intermediate linkinto the next bucket,so that the cleaning action begins earlier and continues for a "longer time, and the cleaning blade sweeps through a greater angle with respect to the bucket, than is thecase when the blade is secured toi the interinediate link or when each bucket connected directly to the next bucket. As a matter of fact, by securing the blade to the preceding bucket, instead of to the intermediatelink, the length of the are, through which the rear end of the i blade j "jaudixnu' cnnrnron nironme Maonrnnsnun THELIKE *1 Applicaticn filed August20,-1928. s'ereu No. 300,740.

sweeps, is increased by a greater ratio than is its angular movement.

a My construction, therefore, makes it possibleto, use a bucket in which the are at the bottom is of substantial length, and at the same time to swing the cleaning blade far enough to completely discharge the contents of the bucket while the latter is on the upward lap and while the blade is still at a sharp inclinatlon, so that the material will readily slide therefrom. a p

The specific construction of theinvention,

together with its inodc ,of operation, will be more fully explained in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which the single figure 1s a side elevation of the upper portion of a diggingeleinent constructed according to the invention. a a a a shown in the drawing, my invention comprisesa series of buckets connected in an. endless chain and driven by sprocket gearing i, which "iSdlilGlUlllGCl at the upper end of a boom 2.; The buckets 3 alternate with: links a, which are about half the length of the buci ets and which arepivotally connected'thereto, as indicated at 5. Each bucket has an arcuate bottom 6 with digging teeth '2' suitably secured to the front edge thereof. The buckets also have side walls 8 which are substantially sectorshaped and provided with teeth, or blades 9 and lO for cuttingthe corners. Each bucket has a blade or cleaning element l1 sepasses overthe sprocket gear 1, the blade 11 savings about itspivotal connection 5 to discharge the contents of the bucket onto the usual conveyor arranged to receive the same.

From an inspecticnof thedrawings, it will benotedthat each link i spans one teeth of the" sprocket wheel 1 and each bucket spans three teeth. as each bucket in travelling about the sprocketwheel rocks about its rear pivot 5, assuming that the sprocket wheelhas ISteeth, it will bdnoted that the bucket swingsthroughan angle of substantially 60 before the succeeding link 4 commences to rock. In such a position, the blade 11 has swung far enough to clear the front edge of the bucket while the blade is still at a sharp inclination so that the material will easily slide therefrom. The fact that the blade is secured to the "bucket and swings about the ivot at the upper end of the link gives the lade a considerably longer radius, so that its later enddes'cribes a longer arc'wit'h -the same angular movement, than would be the case if the bladewere secured-to the link,-thus making it possible to use a deeper bucket. It is also to be noted that, by reason of this construction, the cleaning action takes place at in earlier oint in the travel of the bucket,

in fact, be ore the link 4st the upper end of the bucket begins "to rock. As the chain continues to travel, the blade 11 continues its turning movement while the succeeding link alsosturns, while the bucket that is being discharged still continuesin itsstraiight path. This results ina still further sweep of the blade in respect to the bucket which is "being discharged. 7

It will be seen, therefore, that witha digelement constructed according to my invention, the cleaning blade is relatively longer, its angular movement is relatively greater with res ect to the bucket which it cleans,'and the c caning action beginsearlier and continues for a 'longertime than is the case with digging elements of thistype as hitherto constructed. Itis also to be noted that the total ar'c spanned by onebuck'et and one link together is not-an aliquot part ofthe entire circumference, so that the links and buckets as they pass about thesprocket wheel 1"engage difli'ere'nt teethin each rotation'of the wheel s'o'that thefwea'r on the different teethifs equalized. While I have shown and described specificallyone embodiment of the invention, itis to be understoodfthat the various details thereof may be considerably modified without departing from the scope "of the inventionas claimed.

What I claim is: p 1. In a machine of the class described-a chain comprising series of digging buckets and links alternating with each other "and pivotall connected end to end, a wheel over which t e chain travels, anda blade secured to the rear end of each bucket and extending into the next bucket, normallyconstituting the back wall thereof but movable to discharge the 'contentsof said next bucket before the latterreaches said wheel.

2. 'In a machine of the class described, series of buckets and links alternating with each other and pivotally connected to form an endless chain, a wheel over which the upper pd'rtof'th'e chain passes, saidchain having a strai'ght upwardly travelling lap adjacent the wheel, and a-cle'anin'g member secured to each bucket and extending rearwardl therefrom into the next bucket, where y said cleaning member begins its swingin discharging movement while the intermeciate link still has some distance to travel on the straight lap.

3. Ina machine of the 'class described, a chain comprising series of digging buckets and links alternating with each other and pivotally connected end to end, said than having an upward travelling straight lap, a wheel at-t he upper end of said straight lap over which the chain travels, and a blade secured to each bucket and extending rearwardly across the length of the adjacent link into the next bucket, said blade normally constituting a back for the next bucket but movable to discharge material therefrom while the intermediate link is still on the straight lap.

4'. In a machine of the class described, a

chain comprising series of digging buckets and links alternating with each other and pivotally connected end to end, said chain having an upwardly travelling straight lap, a wheel at the upper end of said straight lap overwhich the chain travels, and a blade secured to each bucket and extending rearward- 1y across the length of the adjacent link and into the next bucket to the bottom thereof, wherebythe extremity of the blade, as the chain passes about said Wheel, moves with relation to said next bucket in an arc whose radius is greater than the length of the bucket.

5. A digging'element comprising series of buckets and links'alternating with each other and connectedto form an endless chain, and a cleaning member-secured to each bucket and extending rearwardly therefrom longitudinally across the adjacent link into the next succeeding bucket.

6. A digging element comprising series of buckets and linksalte'rnating with each other and pivotally connected {end to end, and a blade secured to and projecting rearwardly from eachbucket and constituting a back for the next bucket and "also a cleaning blade therefor.

7. 'A digging element'comprising a series of buckets and links alternating with each other and pivotally connected end to end, a cleaning bladenormally projecting into each bucket, and means for rocking said blade about an axis to discharge the contents of the 

